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Well, I got the green light from my church to prepare a lecture on being trans. It was suggested that I make it a mix of facts and my own personal experience. So ... any suggestions, ideas, or resources you guys know about that will help me do this?
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A few suggestions
I present myself as a normal human being just like them. You are probably sick of hearing this. Your voice modulation and speech enunciation is your best asset. It takes time, years, but you can sound like a woman.
They won't like demands or radical activism from you. They want to know that their children are safe.
As far as makeup goes, less is more. Hem below the knee and long sleeves.
Make every conversation about them, not you.
Best wishes
Gwen
a few ideas
i recently attended a seminar on a completely different subject, early on they had all the attendee's take part in an excercise, it helped us all understand the subject & problems being discussed, It helped clarify the issue and the excercise will stick in my mind for a long time.
i read a transgender story once that used an example of having ones shoes on the wrong feet, they can still walk and do most things, but their brain will be screaming(niggling?), it's not right, and there's only one way to fix it.
if you can find the story, maybe ask them to switch their shoes for the duration of your talk, and that may help them realise that while they were troubled for a short time, that niggling /screaming sense in your mind of "i'm not right" that TG's have, must be endured until it can be sorted.
someone on BigCloset might be able to point you to the story, it was a very long time ago i read it.
a second example came to mind, left handed people used to be persecuted as demonic, one of my own sisters only 50 years ago at a catholic primary school was punished (caned) every time the nuns saw her writing with her left hand. i'm sure you'll have some lefties in your congregation, different is not wrong/demonic, how people treat those that are different can be both wrong and demonic.
if you have a multiracial congregation, well maybe not go there, it can be a explosive subject.
just some ideas, good luck hope all goes well.
Shoes...
...by Heather Rose Brown, published here April 2007. Chosen, IIRC, as the lead story in the never-published Best of Big Closet anthology about four years ago. Over 14,400 hits. I think it had 200 or more votes under the old system.
Dorothy is among the 60 people who have commented on it.
Shoes
Please Add Health
1. Please note that many TG's have poor health or poor health access. This includes psych health.
2. I have noticed that many who think they are TG are actually intersexed.
shalimar